Portable container for elongated elements

• US 5,103,977 A
• Filed: 09/20/1990
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank A. Douglas
• Original Assignee: Frank A. Douglas
• Inventors: Douglas, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/585,189
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 206/334, 206/408, 206/328, 206/226, 206/363, 206/373, 206/388, 206/409, 242/85, 242/86, 242/100, 242/129, 242/137, 242/85.1, 242/96
• US Class Current: 206/702
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/364 the stored material being coiled
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/72 Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A portable container for storing and removing elongated elements, such as an electric extension cord, is disclosed. The portable container includes an open upper end, an inner shaft within the container about which an elongated element is wrapped, and a lid covering the open upper end of the container and having at least one opening which cooperates with the inner shaft to enable an elongated element to be inserted into the container and wrapped around the inner shaft or removed from the container while being unwound from the inner shaft. The inner shaft may be hollow for accommodating and storing various products therein, with a separate inner shaft cover for overlying an open upper end of the inner shaft so as to capture the various products stored therein. The lid may have a second opening through which one end of an elongated element extends with the other end of the elongated element extending through the overlying opening in the lid. The lid may be provided with cord holding clips for releasably holding opposite ends of the elongated element to the lid. A second lid may be provided to extend over the first lid including opposite ends of the elongated element, the openings in the first lid as well as the cord holding clips, with the second lid being releasably secured to the first lid. Suitable handles associated with the first lid or the container or both may be provided for lifting and carrying the portable container.

Claims

1. A portable container for storing and removing an elongated element, said container having an integral bottom wall and an upwardly and outwardly tapering sidewall which terminates in an open upper end, a cylindrically shaped inner shaft within said container and being attached at its lower end to the bottom wall of said container, and a lid covering the open upper end of said container, said lid having opening means larger than said inner shaft, an elongated element inserted within and circumferentially wrapped about the inner shaft, said lid opening means cooperating with the inner shaft to enable said elongated element to be inserted into the container and circumferentially wrapped about the inner shaft or removed from the container while being circumferentially unwound from the inner shaft, said cylindrically shaped inner shaft and said upwardly and outwardly tapering container sidewall having a predetermined shape and size with respect to said opening means to enable substantial quantities of said elongated element to be inserted and stored within said container circumferentially about the inner shaft or removed from said container by circumferential unwinding from said inner shaft, without subjecting the elongated element to unwinding or entanglements;

one end of said elongated element extends through the cooperating opening means in said lid, a second end of said elongated element extends through a second opening in said lid, and means associated with said lid for releasably holding opposite ends of an elongated element in a fixed position while the remainder of an elongated element is wrapped about the inner shaft in stored condition within said container.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein the inner shaft has a hollow interior and an open upper end, the hollow interior of said inner shaft accommodating and storing various products therein, and a separate inner shaft cover overlying the open upper end of said inner shaft so as to capture various products stored therein.